FR3110020A1 - Method and electronic system for assisting in the management of the flight of an aircraft with management of loop (s), associated computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and electronic system for aiding the management of the flight of an aircraft with management of loop(s), associated computer program This aircraft flight management aid method is implemented by an electronic flight management aid system and comprises the following steps: - the acquisition (100) of first and second characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft; - the calculation (110) of a loop trajectory from the first and second characteristic points acquired, the first characteristic point forming a start point of the loop trajectory and the second characteristic point being a point for a return to the first characteristic point; and - the generation (120) of a modified flight plan from a current flight plan, the modified flight plan being obtained by inserting, in the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point, the trajectory calculated loop. Figure for abstract: Figure 4

Description

Method and electronic system for aiding the management of the flight of an aircraft with management of loop(s), associated computer program

The present invention relates to a method for aiding the management of the flight of an aircraft, implemented by an electronic system for aiding flight management.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising software instructions which, when they are executed by a computer, implement such a method of aiding flight management.

The invention also relates to an electronic flight management assistance system configured to manage the flight of an aircraft.

The invention therefore relates to the field of methods and systems for aiding the piloting of an aircraft, preferably intended to be on board the aircraft.

The invention relates in particular to the field of the management of the flight of an aircraft, in particular for the production of loop(s) during the flight.

Currently, when an aircraft has to perform a loop from a waypoint defined in the flight plan, the user - such as the pilot of the aircraft - must form a mental image of what the aircraft to be able to estimate at each end of iteration of the loop the possibility of making an additional iteration of said loop.

A flight management system is also known with a functionality making it possible to insert a loop in the flight plan from a given point of the flight point. The shape of the loop is predefined and imposed, and the flight management system is capable of estimating one or more aeronautical quantities during a current iteration of said loop, these aeronautical quantities being for example a quantity of energy available, such as a quantity of kinetic energy, a quantity of potential energy, quantity of fuel/battery; or even a moment of passage at a given point.

However, the piloting assistance provided by such a flight management system is relatively limited.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a method and an associated electronic system for aiding the management of the flight of an aircraft making it possible to further improve the aid for piloting the aircraft, in order to improve safety. of the aircraft during the flight, in particular for the realization of loop(s) during the flight.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a method for aiding the management of the flight of an aircraft, the method being implemented by an electronic system for aiding flight management and comprising the following steps:

- the acquisition of first and second characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft;

- the calculation of a loop trajectory from the first and second characteristic points acquired, the first characteristic point forming a start point of the loop trajectory and the second characteristic point being a point for a return to the first characteristic point; And

- the generation of a modified flight plan from a current flight plan, the modified flight plan being obtained by inserting, into the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point, the calculated loop trajectory .

Thus, the flight management aid method according to the invention makes it possible to calculate the loop trajectory from the first and second characteristic points, the first characteristic point preferably being a waypoint of the current flight plan. The second characteristic point is a point for the return to the first characteristic point and is, in other words, the point from which the aircraft joins the first characteristic point in order to complete the loop trajectory.

The first characteristic point is a fixed point or a mobile point. When the first characteristic point is a fixed point, it is for example a point of the current flight plan; or of a given position, such as the current position of the aircraft at the time of the construction of the loop; or a position obtained from a third-party data source providing the coordinates of an object, a center of interest. Said position is then typically recorded, which makes it possible to keep the position of the aircraft at the time of carrying out the modification of the flight plan, and then to return to this position. When the first characteristic point is a moving point, it is for example a position obtained from a third-party data source providing new coordinates for the location of the point taken into account at each new trajectory calculation; or a point with parameters describing its displacement taken into account at each new trajectory calculation.

Preferably, the method also comprises the estimation of one or more aeronautical quantities at at least one point of the modified flight plan, in particular at at least one point of the loop trajectory, this regardless of the iteration of the loop trajectory, namely a current iteration, or else one of the next iterations of said loop trajectory. The estimated aeronautical quantity is, for example, a distance between said respective point of the modified flight plan and another point of the modified flight plan, a quantity of remaining energy, such as quantity of kinetic energy, quantity of potential energy or else quantity of fuel/battery remaining, a time instant of passage or even a speed of the aircraft at said respective point. This estimate of aeronautical magnitude then makes it possible to provide the user with a complete view of the flyable loop(s) and of the precise consumption of time and energy, such as fuel, used.

Preferably again, the method comprises the determination of a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory, which allows the user to know how many iterations of the loop trajectory can be carried out at most by the aircraft, this according to one or more criteria, such as a quantity of remaining energy, a maximum duration to reach a later point of the flight plan or even a maximum duration of flight along the loop trajectory .

According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the flight management aid method comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all technically possible combinations:

- the method further comprises a step of displaying, on a display screen, the modified flight plan;

- the method further comprises a step of estimating at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan, preferably at least one point of the loop trajectory;

each aeronautical quantity at a respective point of the modified flight plan being preferably again chosen from the group consisting of: a distance between said respective point of the modified flight plan and another point of the modified flight plan, a quantity of remaining energy , an instant of passage and a speed of the aircraft;

- the method further comprises a step of determining a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory;

said maximum number being preferably determined as a function of at least one criterion chosen from the group consisting of: a quantity of remaining energy, a maximum time to reach a predefined subsequent point of the flight plan, and a maximum flight time the along the loop path;

- the first and second characteristic points are distinct from each other;

the first and second characteristic points preferably being respective waypoints of the current flight plan;

- the acquisition step further comprises the acquisition of at least one desired condition for exiting the loop trajectory chosen from the group consisting of: a number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory, a duration of flight along the loop trajectory, a quantity of remaining energy reached, a geographical position of exit from the loop trajectory, and a time instant of arrival at a given geographical position; And

- the acquisition step further comprises the acquisition of a desired shape of the loop trajectory.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising software instructions which, when they are executed by a computer, implement a method for aiding flight management, as defined above.

The invention also relates to an electronic flight management assistance system, the system being configured to manage the flight of an aircraft, and comprising:

- an acquisition module configured to acquire first and second characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft;

- a calculation module configured to calculate a loop trajectory from the first and second characteristic points acquired, the first characteristic point forming a start point of the loop trajectory and the second characteristic point being a point for a return to the first characteristic point; And

- a generation module configured to generate a modified flight plan from a current flight plan, the modified flight plan being obtained by inserting, into the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point, the trajectory calculated loop.

According to another advantageous aspect of the invention, the electronic flight management assistance system comprises the following feature:

- the system further comprises a display module configured to display the modified flight plan on a display screen.

These characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an aircraft comprising an electronic flight management assistance system according to the invention, connected to avionic systems, to a navigation database, as well as to a screen of display ;

FIG. 2 is a view of an example of a man-machine interface capable of being implemented by the flight management aid system of FIG. 1, in order to allow the user to enter one or more parameters relating to the loop trajectory to be calculated and/or at least one output condition relating to said loop trajectory;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an example of a loop trajectory and of a modified flight plan, obtained with the flight management aid system of FIG. 1; And

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method, according to the invention, for aiding in the management of the flight of the aircraft.

In the description, the expression “substantially equal to” designates a relation of equality of plus or minus 10%, preferably plus or minus 5%.

In FIG. 1, an aircraft 10 comprises several avionic systems 12, a database 14, such as a navigation database, a user interface 16 comprising a display screen 18, and a navigation assistance system. flight management 20 connected to avionics systems 12, database 14 and user interface 16.

The aircraft 10 is for example an airplane. As a variant, the aircraft 10 is a helicopter, or else a drone that can be controlled remotely by a pilot.

The avionic systems 12 are known per se and are capable of transmitting to the electronic flight management assistance system 20 various avionic data, for example so-called “aircraft” data, such as position, orientation, speed or again the altitude of the aircraft 10, and/or so-called “navigation” data, such as a flight plan. The avionic systems 12 are also capable of receiving instructions and/or commands from the flight management aid system 20, one of the avionic systems 12 being in particular an electronic autopilot system, also called an autopilot and noted AP (from the English Automatic Pilot ).

Database 14 is typically a navigation database, and is known per se. The navigation database is also called NAVDB (from the English NAVigation Data Base ), and comprises in particular data relating to points defined by their latitude and longitude, beacons, landing strips, etc.

In the example of FIG. 1, the database 14 is a database external to the flight management aid system 20. Alternatively, not shown, the database 14 is a database internal to the flight management support system 20.

The user interface 16 is known per se. The user interface 16 comprises for example the display screen 18, such as a touch screen, in order to allow input of interaction(s) from a user, not shown, such as the pilot or the co-pilot of the aircraft 10. The display screen 18 allows information to be displayed, in particular display data generated by the electronic flight management assistance system 20.

The electronic flight management assistance system 20 comprises an acquisition module 22 configured to acquire in particular first 24 and second 26 characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft 10, visible on FIG. 3. The electronic flight management assistance system 20 also comprises a module 30 for calculating a loop trajectory 32 from the first and second characteristic points 24, 26 acquired, and a module 34 for generating a modified flight plan 36 from a current flight plan and the calculated loop trajectory 32.

As an optional supplement, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 comprises a module 38 for estimating at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan 36, and/or a module 40 for determining of a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32.

As a further optional addition, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 comprises a module 42 for displaying information on the display screen 18.

Those skilled in the art will then understand that different implementation architectures of the electronic flight management assistance system 20 are possible.

According to a first implementation architecture, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is integrated within an electronic flight management system, also called FMS ( Flight Management System ), which is configured to manage the flight of the aircraft 10, in particular for the production of loop(s) during the flight. According to this first architecture, the acquisition module 22 is, as a variant, a module of a man-machine interface, such as the man-machine interface of a data link.

According to a second implementation architecture, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is partially integrated within the electronic flight management system FMS. According to this second architecture, the generation 34 module is integrated into the flight management system FMS and the other modules of the generation 20 assistance system are external to the flight management system FMS. In particular, the acquisition module 22 and the calculation module 30, as well as in optional addition the estimation module 38 and the determination module 40, are external to said flight management system. These acquisition 22 and calculation 30 modules, as well as an optional addition of estimation 38 and determination 40, are then for example produced in the form of a software application, or even integrated into an avionics system other than the system FMS flight management system. According to this second architecture, the acquisition module 22 is in a variant a man-machine interface module, such as the man-machine interface of the data link.

According to a third implementation architecture, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is external to the electronic flight management system, which is then unchanged. In particular, the acquisition module 22, the calculation module 30 and the generation module 34, as well as in optional addition the estimation module 38 and the determination module 40, are external to said flight management system. These acquisition 22, calculation 30 and generation 34 modules, as well as optionally additional estimation 38 and determination 40, are then for example produced in the form of a software application, or even integrated into an avionics system. other than the FMS flight management system. According to this third architecture, the acquisition module 22 is in a variant a man-machine interface module, such as the man-machine interface of the data link.

In the example of figure 1, the electronic flight management assistance system 20 comprises an information processing unit 50 formed for example of a memory 52 and a processor 54 associated with the memory 52.

In the example of Figure 1, the acquisition module 22, the calculation module 30 and the generation module 34, as well as optionally the estimation module 38, the determination module 40 and the module display 42, are each produced in the form of software, or a software brick, executable by the processor 54. The memory 52 of the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is then able to store flight management software. acquisition in particular of the first and second characteristic points 24, 26 of the loop to be inserted into the flight plan of the aircraft 10, software for calculating the loop trajectory 32 from the first and second characteristic points 24, 26 acquired , and software for generating the modified flight plan 36 from the current flight plan and the calculated loop trajectory 32 . As an optional addition, the memory 52 of the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is capable of storing software for estimating at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan 36, software for determination of the maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32, and software for displaying information on the display screen 18. The processor 54 is then capable of executing each of the software among the software d acquisition, the calculation software and the generation software, as well as optionally the estimation software, the determination software and the display software.

When, as a variant, not shown, the database 14 is a database internal to the flight management assistance system 20, it is typically capable of being stored in a memory of the flight management assistance system. vol 20, such as cue 52.

In a variant not shown, the acquisition module 22, the calculation module 30 and the generation module 34, as well as in optional addition the estimation module 38, the determination module 40 and the display module 42, are each made in the form of a programmable logic component, such as an FPGA (from the English Field Programmable Gate Array ), or even in the form of a dedicated integrated circuit, such as an ASIC (from the English Application Specific Integrated Circuit ).

When the electronic flight management assistance system 20 is produced in the form of one or more software, that is to say in the form of a computer program, it is also capable of being recorded on a support, not shown, readable by computer. The computer-readable medium is, for example, a medium capable of storing electronic instructions and of being coupled to a bus of a computer system. By way of example, the readable medium is an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, a ROM memory, a RAM memory, any type of non-volatile memory (for example EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH, NVRAM), a magnetic card or an optical card. On the readable medium is then stored a computer program comprising software instructions.

The acquisition module 22 is configured to acquire various information, in particular information previously entered by the user via the user interface 16. The acquisition module 22 is in particular configured to acquire the first 24 and second 26 characteristic points of the loop to be inserted into the flight plan of the aircraft, the first characteristic point 24 forming a start point of the loop trajectory 32, and the second characteristic point 26 being a point of change of direction of the aircraft 10, for a return of the aircraft 10 to the first characteristic point 24.

As an optional addition, the acquisition module 22 is configured to also acquire at least one desired exit condition from the loop trajectory 32, that is to say an exit condition corresponding to the end or an interruption of the loop trajectory 32 when said exit condition is verified, i.e. fulfilled.

Each exit condition is for example chosen from the group consisting of: a number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32, a flight duration along the loop trajectory 32, a quantity of remaining energy reached, a geographic exit position from said loop trajectory 32, and a time instant of arrival at a given geographic position.

Each exit condition is for example entered beforehand by the user via the user interface 16, and in particular via the display of a man-machine interface 60 on the screen 18. The man-machine interface will be described later. in detail later.

The quantity of energy remaining, or available, taken into account is for example a quantity of kinetic energy, a quantity of potential energy, a quantity of fuel, or even a quantity of electric charge in a set of battery(ies) .

As a further optional addition, the acquisition module 22 is further configured to acquire a desired shape of the loop trajectory 32. The desired shape is, for example, defined by the user via the user interface 16, in particular via the man-machine interface 60 displayed on screen 18.

The first characteristic point 24 is preferably a waypoint 56 of the current flight plan, and corresponds to the point in the current flight plan from which the calculated loop trajectory 32 will be inserted to obtain the modified flight plan 36.

The second characteristic point 26 is, for example, also a waypoint 56 of the current flight plan, or as a variant a point distinct from said current flight plan.

The second characteristic point 26 is preferably distinct from the first characteristic point 24.

The calculation module 30 is configured to calculate the loop trajectory 32 from the first and second characteristic points 24, 26 acquired, said loop trajectory 32 passing through said first and second characteristic points 24, 26, and the first characteristic point 24 thus forming the start of said loop path 32.

The calculation module 30 for example configured to calculate the loop trajectory 32 as a function of the acquired shape, the loop trajectory 32 then being calculated so as to be according to said acquired shape and to also pass through the first and second characteristic points 24, 26.

The shape is a closed geometric shape. The shape is, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, such as a rectangle, an 8 or an infinite symbol ∞, also comparable to a lying 8, as in the example of figure 3, or even a hippodrome.

The shape is for example predefined, and then typically a shape selected by the user from a set of predefined shapes.

Alternatively or in addition, the shape is defined from information (s) entered (s) by the user, for example from point (s) intermediate (s) of passage 58 entered (s) by the user, typically via the man-machine interface 60.

As a variant, in the absence of acquired shape, the calculation module 30 is configured to calculate the loop trajectory 32 such that said loop trajectory 32 corresponds to a minimum path passing through the first and second characteristic points 24, 26 , while respecting a minimum turn radius, the minimum turn radius depending - as known per se - on the aircraft 10.

As an optional addition, at least three characteristic points are acquired by the acquisition module 22, and the calculation module 30 is then configured to calculate the loop trajectory 32 passing through these at least three characteristic points. The number of characteristic points acquired is preferably between 3 and 10.

As an optional addition, the acquisition module 22 is configured to acquire a succession of intermediate crossing points 58 for the loop, which have typically been entered beforehand by the user via the man-machine interface 60, and the calculation module 30 is then configured to calculate the loop trajectory 32 passing through these successive intermediate points 58, while being according to the possible shape acquired.

The generation module 34 is then configured to generate the modified flight plan 36 from the current flight plan, that is to say from the flight plan followed by the flight management system, also denoted FMS, before said loop is taken into account, the modified flight plan 36 being obtained by inserting, into the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point 24, the calculated loop trajectory 32. In other words, with the modified flight plan 36, the loop trajectory 32 is followed by the aircraft 10 from the first characteristic point 24, instead of the previous flight plan, that is to say the plane current flight plan, and the tracking of said flight plan is resumed at the end of the loop trajectory, for example at the first characteristic point 24 after one or more iterations of said trajectory of the loop 32, or alternatively at a corresponding point to the interruption of the loop trajectory 32 if an exit condition has been verified.

In other words, the modified flight plan 36 is formed by the current flight plan up to the first characteristic point 24, then by the loop trajectory 32, the latter being iterated one or more times, then by the resumption of the current flight plan, either from the first characteristic point 24, or from another point corresponding to a respective exit condition.

The estimation module 38 is configured to estimate at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan 36, in particular at at least one point of the loop trajectory 32.

Each aeronautical quantity thus estimated is for example chosen from the group consisting of: a distance between said respective point of the modified flight plan 36 (for which the estimation is carried out) and another point of the modified flight plan 36, a quantity of remaining energy at said respective point, an instant of passage at said respective point and a speed of the aircraft 10 at said respective point.

This estimation of aeronautical magnitude is performed using an algorithm similar to that used to estimate such magnitudes along the current flight plan, and then applying said algorithm to the modified flight plan 36, previously generated by the generation module 34.

As a further optional addition, the determination module 40 is configured to determine a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32, for example according to at least one criterion.

Each criterion is for example chosen from the group consisting of: a quantity of remaining energy, a maximum duration to reach a predefined subsequent point of the flight plan, and a maximum duration of flight along the loop trajectory 32.

Those skilled in the art will then understand that when such a maximum number of iteration(s) is determined by the determination module 40, the number of iteration(s) actually performed of the loop trajectory 32 is then less than or equal to said maximum number of iteration(s).

The display module 42 is configured to display information on the display screen 18 of the user interface 16, in particular to display the modified flight plan 36 generated by the generation module 34.

When, as an optional addition, at least one aeronautical quantity is estimated by the estimation module 38, the display module 42 is further configured to display the value of each estimated aeronautical quantity.

When, as an optional addition, a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32 is determined by the determination module 40, the display module 42 is configured to additionally display said maximum number of iteration(s). ) so determined.

As a further optional addition, the display module 42 is configured to display the man-machine interface 60, in order to allow prior input by the user of data relating to the loop trajectory 32 to be created, in particular first and second characteristic points 24, 26, and optionally a desired shape and/or at least one output condition.

In FIG. 2, the view of the man/machine interface 60 of the electronic flight management assistance system 20 according to the invention is illustrative of a real view which includes indications in English, as is the case in the aeronautical field. A French translation of the relevant information is provided where appropriate in the description.

In the example of FIG. 2, the man-machine interface 60 comprises three sections 62, 64, 66, namely a first section 62 relating to the entry of a start point of the loop (from the English LOOP START POINT ), that is to say relating to the entry of the first characteristic point 24; a second section 64 relating to the desired shape of the loop trajectory 32 (from the English LOOP DEFINITIONS ); and a third section 66 relating to the desired exit condition(s) from the loop trajectory 32 ( EXIT CONDITIONS ).

The first section 62 then comprises a first drop-down menu 70 making it possible to select, as first characteristic point 24, one of the waypoints 56 of the current flight plan. In a variant not shown, the first section 62 comprises an entry field for an identifier of an element of the database 14, in particular of an element of an aeronautical database, in order to choose as first characteristic point 24 such an element. The input field then makes it possible to search for such an element by its identifier, such as an identifier with four alphabetic characters, for example in accordance with the ICAO document 7910 or even an IATA type identifier.

The second section 64 comprises chips 72 for selecting the desired shape of the loop trajectory 32, among a waiting shape for a drone (from the English LOITER ) which is typically circular and a shape defined by the user (from English CUSTOM ), the latter being for example defined from intermediate points 58. The chip 72 selected is the one including a black pad. A second drop-down menu 74 is associated with the waiting shape for the drone, and a first input field 76 associated with an add button 78 makes it possible to successively enter different intermediate points 58 for the shape defined by the user, each point intermediary 58 then being defined by its identifier, such as an identifier of the aforementioned type. In the example of FIG. 2, the intermediate points 58 already entered have the identifiers WPT01 and WPT02, and an intermediate point 58 with identifier WPT03 is being added.

The third section 66 has four checkboxes 80, each associated with a type of exit condition. A first type of exit condition being that based on a quantity of remaining energy reached, such as a quantity of fuel remaining reached, also denoted EFOB ( Estimated Fuel On Board ), so as to have a quantity of sufficient remaining energy either to land safely at a predefined point, or else to exit the loop path 32 when said amount of remaining energy is reached. A second type of exit condition is a duration of flight along the loop trajectory 32 (from the English TIME IN LOOP ). A third type of exit condition is a number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32 (from the English N B –for Number- OF LOOPS ). A fourth type of exit condition is a time instant of arrival at a given geographical position ( RTA AT from English Required Time of Arrival ).

Each check box 80 is then associated with a second input field 82 allowing the user to indicate the desired value for the corresponding exit condition, for example to indicate the flight duration along the trajectory in hours and hours. minutes ; or the number of iteration(s) in the form of an integer; or even the time instant of arrival in hours and minutes, with the geographical position typically selected via a third drop-down menu 84. At the checkbox 80 relating to the first type of exit condition based on the quantity of remaining energy reached , such as the quantity of fuel remaining reached EFOB, are also associated two chips 85 for defining a selection criterion for the quantity of remaining energy reached, such as the quantity of fuel remaining reached, from among those corresponding to a landing in security at a predefined point ( SECURE LANDING AT ) and that at a value ( VALUE ) of remaining energy quantity reached, such as remaining fuel quantity. The chosen 85 chip is the one including a black pad.

The man-machine interface 60 also comprises, as an optional addition, and for each type of exit condition, a fourth drop-down menu 86 making it possible to define a geographical exit position from the loop trajectory ( EXIT SHORTCUT ). , a third input field 88 being provided for entering the safe landing point, for example by entering the identifier of said landing point.

Those skilled in the art will then observe that in the example of FIG. 2, two exit conditions have been entered, namely a safe landing at the landing point with identifier LFBO, with then a quantity of energy sufficient to landing at said safe point, the second exit condition being a number of iterations of the loop trajectory 32, the number being equal to 2 in this example.

When several exit conditions are acquired, those skilled in the art will then naturally understand that the loop trajectory 32 is interrupted and that the aircraft 10 then leaves the loop trajectory, as soon as one of said exit conditions is verified. In other words, in the example of FIG. 2, the aircraft 10 will leave the loop trajectory 32, as soon as the remaining quantity of energy reached is the minimum quantity to land safely at the landing point with identifier LFBO or else as soon as the loop trajectory 32 has been iterated twice.

Alternatively or in addition to the human-machine interface 60 previously described in the example of Figure 2, the calculation of the loop trajectory is activated using an interactive human-machine interface, such as an interactive navigation display ( interactive navigation display ). The display then presents for example the flight plan, such as a flight plan with waypoints A, B, C, then D, and the trajectory.

According to a first case of use of this interactive man-machine interface, the operator selects a point of the flight plan, such as point B, via a contextual menu and designates it as the first characteristic point, so that the trajectory of calculated loop will then start at point B.

According to a second use case of this interactive human-machine interface, the operator selects a point of the flight plan, such as point B, then chooses a loop insertion action from a contextual menu. The operator then places the interactive cursor at a point X, existing or not, part of the current flight plan or not, and via a contextual menu designates it as the first characteristic point, so that the calculated loop trajectory will then begin at point X and will be inserted at this point after waypoint B.

Then, the interactive man-machine interface allows the operator to create and/or designate additional points K, L, M, etc. for defining the loop, i.e. intermediate crossing points 58 , by moving a cursor and by performing creations or selections of elements, displayed or not on a display layer superimposed on the navigation display.

According to the first use case, the modified flight plan then corresponds to the points A[BKLM…]CD, where the points in square brackets represent the loop trajectory.

According to the second use case, the modified flight plan then corresponds to the points AB[XKLM…]CD, with the points in square brackets representing the loop trajectory.

As an optional addition, the man-machine interface 60 of FIG. 2 is regularly updated accordingly. Those skilled in the art will then understand that the actions of the operator on the interactive man-machine interface to those carried out via the man-machine interface 60, and in particular that the addition of the additional points K, L, M, … is equivalent to adding intermediate passage points 58 via the first input field 76 and the add button 78. These actions on the interactive man-machine interface have the advantage of being better contextualized with respect to the environment of the aircraft 10, in particular if the display is capable of displaying third-party data.

The operation of the electronic management assistance system 20 according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 representing a flowchart of the method, according to the invention, of assistance in the management of the flight of the aircraft 10, in particular for making loop(s) during flight.

During an initial step 100, the management assistance system 20 acquires, via its acquisition module 22, the characteristic points 24, 26 of the loop to be inserted into the flight plan of the aircraft 10.

As an optional addition, during this acquisition step 100, the acquisition module 22 also acquires, where appropriate, the desired shape of the loop trajectory 32 and/or the desired exit condition(s) from the loop trajectory 32.

The management assistance system 20 then calculates, during the next step 110 and via its calculation module 30, the loop trajectory 32 passing through the characteristic points 24, 26 acquired, and if necessary, with the shape desired and/or verifying the desired output condition(s) acquired.

At the end of the calculation step 110, the management assistance system 20 generates, during step 120 and via its generation module 34, the modified flight plan 36 by inserting into the flight plan and from the first characteristic point 24, the loop trajectory 32 previously calculated during the calculation step 110. The modified flight plan 36 thus generated is then formed from the current flight plan up to the first characteristic point 24, then of the loop trajectory 32 calculated and iterated one or more times, and finally of the end of the current flight plan, resumed either from the first characteristic point 24, or from the geographical position corresponding to the attainment of at at least one of the exit conditions, as represented in the example of FIG. 3, where the geographical position corresponding to the reaching of the exit condition is represented by a loop exit point 115 .

Following the generation step 120 and optionally, the flight management aid system 20 estimates, during step 130 and via its estimation module 38, at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan 36, typically at at least one point of the calculated loop trajectory 32, in order to allow the user to best predict what the flight conditions will be when the aircraft 10 will follow the calculated loop trajectory 32 . The calculated aeronautical quantity is for example the quantity of remaining energy, the time instant of passage or the speed of the aircraft 10 at said corresponding point of the modified flight plan 36, or even the distance between said corresponding point of the modified flight 36 and another modified flight plan point 36.

Following the estimation step 130 and optionally also, the flight management aid system 20 determines, during step 140 and via its determination module 40, the maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory 32, this preferably as a function of at least one criterion, such as the quantity of energy remaining, the maximum time to reach a predefined subsequent point of the flight plan, and the maximum flight time along the loop path 32.

In the example of FIG. 4, the determination step 140 is performed after the generation step 120 and the estimation step 130, and those skilled in the art will then understand that if the number of iterations of the loop trajectory 32, predicted during the calculation 110 and generation 120 steps is greater than the maximum number of iterations determined during step 140, said predicted number will then be clipped, that is to say corrected to be equal to the maximum number of iterations, and therefore not to exceed it.

Alternatively, the determination step is performed at the same time as the calculation step 110; or as a variant again between the calculation step 110 and the generation step 120.

The flight management aid system 20 finally displays, during step 150 and via its display module 42, the modified flight plan 36 generated during the generation step 120, as well as any quantities aeronautical values estimated during the estimation step 130.

A schematic display example is illustrated in FIG. 3, where those skilled in the art will observe that the part already flown of the modified flight plan 36 is shown in dotted lines, while the part remaining to be flown of the modified flight plan 36 is represented by a continuous thick line.

At the end of the display step 150, the flight management aid system 20 returns to the initial acquisition step 100, in order to acquire any new characteristic points, to modify the trajectory calculated loop 32, or to calculate a new loop 32 trajectory.

Thus, the flight management aid system 20 according to the invention, and the associated management aid method, allow the user, such as the pilot of the aircraft 10, to more easily carry out a or several loops during the flight with said aircraft 10.

The flight management aid system 20 then makes it easier to calculate a loop trajectory 32 which is flyable from the current flight plan, and as an optional complement to also provide the user with value predictions d one or more aeronautical quantities along the modified flight plan 36, and in particular along the calculated loop path 32.

The flight management assistance system 20 according to the invention then makes it possible to significantly reduce the cognitive load for the user who no longer has to form a mental image of what the aircraft 10 is going to do to to be able to estimate the future flight situation as the loop trajectory 32 is followed, and in particular to be able to estimate at each end of turn, that is to say at each end of an iteration of the trajectory of loop 32, the possibility of making an additional turn, i.e. performing a new iteration of the path of loop 32.

The flight management aid system 20 according to the invention makes it possible, as an optional complement, to know, in addition and in advance, the number of achievable iterations of the loop trajectory 32, to construct the loop trajectory 32 with a possible transition to move to another point of the flight plan, in particular when an exit condition based on an exit geographical position is acquired, and to further define one or more exit conditions from said loop trajectory 32.

The cognitive load for the user is then greatly reduced, which makes it possible to significantly improve the safety of the flight of the aircraft 10.

It is thus conceivable that the management aid method and the flight management aid system 20 according to the invention make it possible to further improve the aid to the piloting of the aircraft 10, in order to make the flight of the aircraft 10 safer, in particular when performing loop(s) during flight.

Claims (10)

Method for assisting in the management of the flight of an aircraft (10), the method being implemented by an electronic flight management assistance system (20) and comprising the following steps:
- the acquisition (100) of first (24) and second (26) characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft (10);
- the calculation (110) of a loop trajectory (32) from the first (24) and second (26) characteristic points acquired, the first characteristic point (24) forming a start point of the loop trajectory (32 ) and the second characteristic point (26) being a point for a return to the first characteristic point (24);
- the generation (120) of a modified flight plan (36) from a current flight plan, the modified flight plan (36) being obtained by insertion, into the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point (24), of the calculated loop trajectory (32). Method according to claim 1, in which the method further comprises a step (150) of displaying, on a display screen (18), the modified flight plan (36). Method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the method further comprises a step (130) of estimating at least one aeronautical quantity at at least one point of the modified flight plan (36), preferably at at least one loop path point (32);
each aeronautical quantity at a respective point of the modified flight plan (36) being preferably again chosen from the group consisting of: a distance between said respective point of the modified flight plan (36) and another point of the modified flight plan ( 36), a quantity of remaining energy, a passing time and a speed of the aircraft (10). A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises a step (140) of determining a maximum number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory (32);
said maximum number being preferably determined as a function of at least one criterion chosen from the group consisting of: a quantity of remaining energy, a maximum time to reach a predefined subsequent point of the flight plan, and a maximum flight time the along the loop path (32). Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first (24) and second (26) characteristic points are distinct from each other;
the first (24) and second (26) characteristic points preferably being respective waypoints (56) of the current flight plan. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the step of acquiring (100) further includes acquiring at least one desired loop path (32) exit condition selected from the group consisting of : a number of iteration(s) of the loop trajectory (32), a flight duration along the loop trajectory (32), a quantity of remaining energy reached, a geographical position of exit from the trajectory of loop (32), and a time instant of arrival at a given geographical position. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of acquiring (100) further includes acquiring a desired shape of the loop path (32). A computer program comprising software instructions which, when executed by a computer, implement a method according to any preceding claim. Electronic flight management assistance system (20), the system (20) being configured to manage the flight of an aircraft (10), and comprising:
- an acquisition module (22) configured to acquire first (24) and second (26) characteristic points of a loop to be inserted into a flight plan of the aircraft (10);
- a calculation module (30) configured to calculate a loop trajectory (32) from the first (24) and second (26) characteristic points acquired, the first characteristic point (24) forming a start point of the trajectory of loop (32) and the second characteristic point (26) being a point for a return to the first characteristic point (24); And
- a generation module (34) configured to generate a modified flight plan (36) from a current flight plan, the modified flight plan (36) being obtained by insertion, in the current flight plan and from the first characteristic point (24), the calculated loop trajectory (32). A system (20) according to claim 9, wherein the system (20) further comprises a display module (42) configured to display the modified flight plan (36) on a display screen (18).